I was a rough and rowdy frontiersman who turned into one of the fiercest battlefield commanders of the American Revolution.

I was born in 1736, likely in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, to Welsh parents, but I left home as a teenager after a falling out with my father. I headed south to Virginia, where I worked my way up from laborer to wagoner, hauling supplies over the mountains. I didn’t have much education, but I had grit, and I earned the nickname “Old Wagoner” during the French and Indian War.

Later in the war, I was ambushed delivering dispatches, shot through the jaw, and left for dead. But I survived, married Abigail Bailey, and built a family and a home in Winchester, Virginia.

When the Revolution broke out, I raised a rifle company and joined the cause. I was captured in the assault on Quebec and spent time as a prisoner, but once exchanged, I returned to the fight. My men were known as “Morgan’s Riflemen”. They used advanced movements such as having army units backed by local militia, the Continental Amry started using this strategy regularly. Though it has not been confirmed if I was present at The Battle of Princeton, my men’s actions helped secure a Patriot victory. I also played key roles at Saratoga, even though I didn’t always get the credit. After briefly stepping away from the army, I came back in 1780 to help turn the tide in the South.

At the Battle of Cowpens on January 17, 1781, I orchestrated one of the most brilliant victories of the war. Knowing my men and knowing my enemy, I used militia, Continental troops, and cavalry in perfect coordination. We crushed the British forces under Tarleton, and that win helped swing momentum back to the Revolution.

I retired not long after due to painful sciatica, but I stayed active—serving in Congress and even leading troops during the Whiskey Rebellion. I passed away on July 6, 1802, remembered not just for my victories, but for my courage, leadership, and rise from humble beginnings.